KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 — Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has consented to a state of emergency in the country until August 1, or until the current wave of Covid-19 subsides.

In a statement by Istana Negara, the Comptroller of the Royal Household Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the decision was made after Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin called on the Agong yesterday.

The King also received briefing from Chief Secretary Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun, Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Election Commission Chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, and Chief of Armed Forces Tan Sri Affendi Buang.

The Conference of Rulers were also consulted over the decision.

The Emergency Proclamation was called under Article 150(1) of the Federal Constitution which states that the Agong can call it if he is “satisfied that a grave emergency exists whereby the security, or the economic life, or public order in the Federation or any part thereof is threatened”.

An emergency committee will be formed consisting of government and Opposition MPs and relevant health experts to determine if the Emergency will be ended early.

The decree came just a day after Putrajaya announced a new movement control order affecting six states for two weeks starting tomorrow.

Back in October, Muhyiddin had then pleaded for a state of emergency be declared, but the Agong decided that there was no need for one.

The Agong had also then delivered a warning directed at politicians looking to unsettle the country’s administration.